Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with diary

Can you suggest me a cool diary?

jfricke — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 16:50:09 -0800

Please help me to find a cool offline diary I'd love to keep a diary. But I would like to have one that makes keeping a diary a bit more fun. What I am not looking for is a diary with blank pages. What I am looking for instead? I really do not know. Any form of diary that is a bit unusual.

For example, I like the idea of the Simple Diary but I would prefer something more serious. Maybe a diary where I mark with a cross how I felt each day and write a few lines. Or a diary that presents me with a writing task for each day.

Any suggestions?

How to make my diary not suck?

mono blanco — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 04:28:44 -0800

How to write diary entries I actually want to read? Life's interesting. But when I try to do a diary I never want to read it later. It's either I ate blah blah or I think blah blah. Got any tips for making the recording as interesting as the original?

Where can I buy a diary where Sunday starts the week.

Solomon — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 08:36:36 -0800

Where can I buy a week-to-view 2010 diary that has Sunday as the first day of the week? I've looked on the (UK) high street, but every week-to-view diary I've seen has Monday as the first day of the week. The fact that the week starts on a Sunday is essential. I'd also like something small and compact enough to slip into a pocket easily. I don't need to be able to record a lot of information. It's the layout of the days that's important.

I've tried looking online, but such details as layout aren't mentioned. Is there some specific search term I should be using? I'm finding lots of diaries, but nothing with enough info to enable me which one to buy.

Where can I buy one from, ether online or on the high street?

Help me find A5 diary refills in any colour other than white?

ceri richard — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 05:39:05 -0800

Where can I find A5 diary page refills in anything other than white? They don't have to be branded Filofax but I'd love to find a set of A5 diary pages for 2010 in the "Day per Page Diary (5 Language)" style. Filofax don't seem to do the "cotton cream" in A5 so as long as the 6 punched holes will fit, I don't care who makes them. Bonus points for being able to order them online!

Like what Doogie Howser used. Only minus the acne and gay subtext.

rileyray3000 — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 10:21:22 -0800

My five year written book journal is almost done. I'm looking for some some sort of very easy mac journal program to replace it. As much as I've loved the journaling up to now, I don't like that I can't search it easily. So I think I'm going with a program of some sort this time around. Are there any journal programs you recommend and that fit the bill for simple, easy and searchable?

Cooking Diary?

Maia — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 15:04:51 -0800

Where can I buy a notebook/journal intended to let me record the meals I cook? I'm looking for not only something to hold recipes, but something where I could also put the date and my opinion of the recipe. In essence, it'd be like a cooking diary. Does such a thing exist?

Looking for Moleskine notebook accessories.

bamassippi — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 12:21:01 -0800

Looking for Moleskine notebook accessories. Looking for Moleskine accessories (from the cheap to the luxurious) for my 5" x 8" Moleskine. I write all the time and

- carrying cases
- pens
- pen holders
etc.

Recommend anonymous, frank, journal-like blogs.

Anonymous — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 14:23:36 -0800

Can anyone recommend any brutally honest, diary/journal blogs? Ones where people talk about most aspects of their lives: emotions, friendships, relationships, sex, hobbies, politics. Ones where the posts are so private that they can only be kept secret, or shared with strangers.

Edward Tufte, make me a taxonomy!

soviet sleepover — Mon, 18 May 2009 11:32:41 -0800

Help me devise an Edward Tufte-approved visual system for tracking my life/health/happiness! Portable, layered, colorful, graph-like but illustrated... Right now I'm imagining a 365 page accordion-fold book that opens both ways--forwards for a timeline (with illustrations and notes I add day by day), and backwards for a regular journal/notebook. But I'm not at all wedded to that idea, though I do like the idea of being able to view several/many days at once as a progression. (A huge set of scrolls seems like a theoretically good idea, but unwieldy and silly in practice. Maybe a 60p accordion Moleskine is most practical..)

Practically, I'd like this to serve as a visual diary of my day's events, plus a way of tracking trends. I also want to be able to record evolving goals I set for myself, no matter how banal ("floss teeth," "write for an hour"), and have some aesthetically interesting way of seeing their progress..

As a side question, give me ideas of how to develop emotional/tonal taxonomies! How do you categorize the events/ideas in your life in a way that takes into consideration their emotional qualities, seriousness/ephemerality, etc? How to overlay a cloud system (think web 2.0 in analog, but without the layers of acetate!).

But despite the bent toward data collection, I want this most to be a creative project using collage, illustration, etc. So, the questions: how should I approach a project like this? What should I keep in mind? How would you go about developing taxonomies for this? I want to hear your anecdotes, your speculation, your naysaying or wonderful visions for doomed projects! How would you do this?

i think my boyfriend read my diary

my_thai — Fri, 01 May 2009 09:16:30 -0800

I think my b/f read my journal and is mad at me for what I said. Not sure how to ask him if I'm right. After a disagreement with my boyfriend I wrote some fairly mean things about him in my journal. Specifically I wrote that he was weak. Actually, I think that he's not as assertive as he could be, but when I'm pissed off and venting in my diary I call it 'weak'.

The journal was in my work bag. Yesterday when I was working out he had to go in my work bag for something he needed. He's been acting weird ever since.

The thing is, if he violated my privacy, he deserves to feel bad, however I hate that he thinks I feel that way about him. And I hate the idea that I've hurt him.

I keep asking him what's wrong but he won't say what it is, probably because he doesn't want to admit to doing this. I'm afraid to ask him directly just in case he didn't read it and I'm just being paranoid.

What in the hell do I do here?

Food diary paralysis

boo_radley — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 22:29:23 -0800

When keeping a food diary, what is a good strategy for estimation? I'm not sure what's a reasonable way to go out to a restaurant, eyeball a dish and come up with a reasonable calorie count for it. Is there a guideline or rule of thumb to follow>

Super Simple offline (time-less) diary/calender?

hasna — Sat, 21 Mar 2009 12:58:17 -0800

I'm looking for a super simple offline daily diary/agenda application. Something like iCal. I spend most of my time overseas, and just want to be able to look back, year(s) from now, and see what I did. Have suggestions? I already journal on an infrequent (weekly?) basis. But it's usually more of philosophical rambling /slash/ emotional purging, than a chronological memoir of my day. I also use iCal to schedule out my regular appointments (tutoring, exercise, sleep, children to school, etc).

What I want, though, is a very simple Mac application where I can, in calender format, make very simple entries about what I did that day, without having to put times on them, or even have times there at all.

Example: Met my new friend Steph today, spent most of the day in Sultanahmet. Had beer for breakfast (!!), got lost on the way to Taksim, met a random American friend and had MORE beer, then came home late. Awesome day!.

The kind of thing where I'll be able to look back on 6 months, or 1-2 years from now, and remember exactly what I was doing; put myself back in that moment. Hindsight is always 20/20. I deeply regret not having done this in the past (for China, Peru, Mexico, Mali, Guinea..).

Yes, I realize that what I'm describing is the typical paper diary, but really I'm just looking for an offline (maybe?), Mac-compatible calender/agenda application that will allow me to do such a thing. I already keep multiple blogs, but they rarely contain my day-to-day happenings. Again, I'll emphasize: super simple, no flashy features. Just click on a calender date to enter/read what I did that day. That's all. Maybe bold/italic, but even that is optional. seriously, that simple.

Any tips? Thanks in advance, mefites! :)

I want to remember myself.

eas98 — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 09:36:12 -0800

I would like to start keeping a personal diary.. Electronically, to be sure, online if possible. So, for years and years I've wanted to this. I want to keep a personal diary/journal/whathaveyou where I can write down my thoughts and feelings as they exist today and look back on them sometime in the future.

I know I can emulate this by just creating an email account and writing to myself over and over, and if that's the best suggestion, then I'll go with it. Was just wondering if anyone had any better suggestions.

Regarding the timeframe.. I would ideally like to do this for decades, and I realize that nobody can predict who will be around to continue hosting such a thing in the future, but suggestions would be welcome.

Thanks for any help!

Linux software for an electronic journal

PercussivePaul — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 15:38:54 -0800

What are some good Linux programs for keeping an electronic research journal? I write a lot when I am thinking about a problem. Writing helps me organize my thoughts. Now that I'm starting a PhD I want to move away from the pen-and-paper method I used in my master's, mainly because organization and information retrieval became very difficult after a year or two.

I'm using Ubuntu Linux (though I could try Windows programs under WINE, I guess). I tried a few programs so far, recently TomBoy, but I wasn't sold on it. I don't like the TomBoy interface where little notes fly up in new windows; I'd prefer something closer to a tabbed text-editor with indexing and timestamps. My style is not so much creating structured information like a database or wiki, but rather dumping bursts of text into the screen every now and then. I don't want to spend a lot of time thinking about organizing information; instead, I want to able to open the program, start typing, and then click somewhere to have it filed away. Any ideas?

Tips on keeping medical notes and records organized

xo — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 15:12:57 -0800

I'm looking for tips on organizing personal medical records and information, assuming a chronic or complicated health problem. Things like X-rays and MRI discs, blood test results, prescriptions, notes taken during appointments with the doctor, notes made on non-appointment days about symptoms, medical history, insurance policies and bills, therapies tried and discontinued... what are great ways to keep it all organized, for ease of use (and consistent record-keeping) both for the patient and his care partners?

Dear Fashion Diary

mathlete — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 17:25:54 -0800

Is there a site out there that can help me keep track of what I wear? I'd like to look at my clothes-wearing habits, such as how often I wear something or when the last time I wore something was, and I thought there might be some software or a web site that could help with this out there already.

I haven't found anything remotely close to what I'm looking for with Google. I saw this previous question, but the discussion there is more about whether an outfit is good or bad; I'm looking for a different kind of analysis.

online autobio

airplain — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 01:18:43 -0800

How should I put my diary / autobiography online? I'm almost asking how best to order and annotate my old photos, but I'd like the possibility of more extensive writing as well. I'm expecting to order things by date, but advice on categories would be good. It's not a commercial venture, just fun for the extended family. Simplicity for submitting photos and text is the premier requirement. I'd like this to be shared with family with varying computer literacy. Cost is the next - probably not possible if not free-ish. After that comes ease of setup - I don't have time for extensive customization of a system. A sensible way to include a family tree would be neat.

I have a website (with almost zero content) so the solution could be hosted there if that's best; I've rudimentary web coding skill (Dreamweaver, HTML & CSS, not design) so could probably manage a wiki (but I haven't tried.)

Quality, durable, leather journal?

MrZero — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 21:23:04 -0800

I am looking for a blank journal, preferably leather-bound, which will survive for many years and many adventures. Suggestions? Two weeks from right now, I'll be in the air on my first real trip, which is also my honeymoon, and I need to get a journal. I want to devote it solely to travelling, and I'd like it to last long enough to refresh my memories when I'm old and gray. I'd like it to be:

leather-bound, or something else classic,

durable,

small enough for travel,

not a Moleskine (I have enough already),

affordable.

I saw these two threads, but all the answers point at really high-end leather goods. I just want a quality journal. Can I find something like this at a Borders or Barnes and Noble? Other than brands, what characteristics should I look for (i.e. sewn binding, acid-free, "archival," etc.)?

Bonus question, what should I use to write in it?

Keeping private stuff private

Tbola — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 18:28:03 -0800

How do you protect your privacy when writing personal stuff down into journals, diaries, or self-help books? I'm wondering what techniques might be adequate for me to overcome my hesitance in writing down extremely personal stuff. I like to write, and I feel like it helps me immensely - but the thought of someone stumbling across a detailed account of my biggest fears and inadequacies makes me nervous.
(hey look - a new inadequacy!)

Seriously, though... does anyone else go through this? Any advice on how to be able to write stuff down, but have it less 'incriminating' should it accidentally be read by someone else?
(especially in the case of a journal, which you might be apt to bring along with you - and run the risk of misplacing it)

I'm not sure if this is going to make sense to anyone. I'd thought I'd give it a try.

Can you help me find a diary from my childhood?

wingless_angel — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 06:56:32 -0800

When I was a child in the 80s, one of my relatives in the UK used to send me a beautiful diary each year. I would love to know if it is still being published. I remember that the diary had some poems, short stories, and religious quotations. The cover always had cottage garden flowers on the front, and it was a hardback. It may have been called something like "The day book of..." (not my name, the author's). I would be interested to get a hold of either old copies from the 80s or a new one if it's still being published.

Software recommendations for an offline journal or personal diary?

Auden — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 09:24:18 -0800

Software recommendations for an offline journal or personal diary? (for Windows XP) I'd like to get back into keeping a personal diary or journal - this time on my computer instead of in a notebook.

I'd like it to be rather blog-like, including the ability to tag my entries and attach photos and html content (including web-pages). And I'd like it to be as lightweight as possible, and as future-proof as possible so I won't have to worry about file format problems in the distant future. It needs to be kept on my home computer alone, completely offline.

I could just use a word-processor like Word or Jarte but they don't really suit my needs. Any suggestions?

Help me find old diaries published or placed online

kalimac — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 13:22:59 -0800

Please help me find awesome online diaries! No, not blogs, diaries. I've lately had this craving to read diaries, mostly of people living some time ago, or living in a radically different world than mine. I'm less interested in blogs and contemporary diarying than in transcribed diaries from times past. Basically, what I am looking for is more of this, the transcribed and translated journal of a young girl living in England, and detailing her receiving her first corsets, and being introduced into society. I do know about Pepys' diary, but I'd love further suggestions -- they don't have to be historical (I think I remember someone on the Blue linking to a diary written in the seventies, then posted online); basically non-contemporary will float my boat.

(I'm happy to take suggestions for books, too! It's just that I'm moving soon, so the more non-physical stuff I obtain, the better...there is always the library, of course.)

Thank you, hive mind!

what options do I have to "microblog" a special event?

timmins — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 12:07:23 -0800

Our first child is due any day now. To quell my excitement I am doing what any computer dork would do... I'm researching "microblogs". I'm looking for alternatives to Twitter and Twitxr. I am planning on sharing the link to parents, relatives and friends near and far to track the updates if they're interested. When we had our "trial run" with Mr Braxton Hicks people were calling left and right and it was tough to pay attention and assist mom. Plus, I just want a diary of one of the most important days of my life.

I would prefer to use something hosted on my own server and with a mobile interface but the options seem very limited. Twitter would be fine but reliability is an issue and the lack of images. Twitxr is an alternative but it's using my Flickr account which I use for my photography hobby (non-personal photos). Pownce allows text updates but files can only be sent to friends (I have no friends *frown*). Jaiku is closed beta. Wordpress has one mobile app that's very limited and buggy with ads. Ecto for Wordpress requires a laptop. The list goes on and I'm afraid I've exhausted my options. Help? Thanks.

help my diary become dear to me

lucyleaf — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 11:54:04 -0800

Personal journal-keeping - something I've wanted to be consistent with, but haven't. So, what works for you journalers to keep you journaling or at least keep coming back to journaling? For me, I just sometimes feel uninspired to write or overwhelmed by things I want to write. This thread has some great ideas for journal entries based around questions or logging what worked for your day. I like the idea of making lists of things - whether it's specific to things I'm grateful for or something else. What other questions/ideas/ponderings have gotten you to put pen to paper?

How do you keep track of these ideas so you can refer to them when you journal?

Do you go back and read over your journals?

I know too that part of this is making a personal commitment and devoting time on a consistent basis. I have a feeling, though, if I find inspiration, a journal will become indispensable once I get into it.

Help me use my cell phone to audiojournal.

twins named Lugubrious and Salubrious — Fri, 11 Jan 2008 11:58:26 -0800

How can I set up an audio-journaling scheme with my cell phone? I haven't been able to find a way to make this happen, but maybe you can.

I've been looking for a way to use my cell phone to record an audio journal. Basically, I want to be able to click a button (or dial a number) that would let me speak and have it immediately transcribed. So this will probably involve a phone with some kind of app that recognizes speech/transcribes/etc. Does that even exist?

Jott also sounds good, especially now that I can opt out of using human transcribers, but they only let you record in 15 second increments. Is there anything similar that lets you record in longer increments?

Accuracy isn't the biggest issue here. I only want some kind of written document that records what I was trying to say; scanning it will probably give me a quick reference to what I was thinking at the time.

So I'm looking for either:

- a PDA phone that works with speech recognition software (preferably, but doesn't necessarily have to work with AT&T)
- some kind of Jott-like service
- or maybe just go oldskool: digital recorder + daily uploads to a computer with speech recognition software

Which is the best way to go? Thanks in advance.